“Well—” Kenny starts, and Mel shoots her a look. I almost laugh. She loves drama and she can’t even help it.
“You’re the most interesting one of us now,” Mel says.
“So…?” Kenny presses.
I shrug my shoulders and decide they should sweat a little more.
“Maybe buy her lunch or something,” Kayla says with a wink, linking our arms as we start toward the path.
I turn to see that Deanna has just arrived and is standing next to Kenny and Mel. Our eyes meet for a second before she walks away.
Kayla pulls me inside. “Talk to her after school,” she says. “You got this.”
I really hope she’s right.
I’m most nervous to talk to Deanna because she doesn’t know anything but the lies. A part of me is hopeful that she’ll hearthe reasons and understand. Another part of me thinks it’s too late for them to matter.
I make my way to the courtyard where we agreed to meet up, and it reminds me of my first day here—the quiet hallways, my jittery nerves.
No more lies.I repeat it softly.
I cut through the empty cafeteria and see Deanna waiting outside. I take a deep breath and open the door.
“I was just about to leave,” she says. Her expression is blank and cold.
“I’m sorry, I basically ra—” I stop myself. No more lies. “I’m sorry. I took my time getting here because I was nervous.”
“You’re not now?”
I want to tell her that seeing her makes me happy, but I know this isn’t the time for that. “I am,” I say.
She looks at me, but her expression doesn’t change.
“Thanks for meeting me.”
She rolls her eyes. “I didn’t want to. Kayla basically begged me.”
I cringe. “Oh, she didn’t tell me that.” I feel my hope start to dwindle a bit and straighten myself up to take on whatever is next.
“Well, she lied to me too, so…” Deanna throws her hands up.
“Yeah, but she didn’t have a choice,” I say.
“So that’s everyone’s story, I guess. Kayla said the same thing about you.”
I don’t respond because even though it’s true, I know she doesn’t want to hear it.
“I wanted to tell you. I’m really sorry.”
“You could have. I wouldn’t have said anything,” she says. “You know that, don’t you?”
I nod.
“Then why didn’t you? Besides your mom telling you not to. Because who always listens to their parents?”
My palms start to sweat when I realize that what I need to say probably isn’t going to make things better. “Would you have wanted all ofthis? If you knew the truth?” I ask.
“All of what?”
